, 1887-10-15
KILLED BY A CLOUD.
Death of the Daughter of j. M.
Lynch, Sherman.
Lifted From a Hill Top and Dropped
by a Cloud.
Third Occurrence of the Kind Dur
ing This century.

"a u . AZ = hSh, a bhCCp laloCl nhONS
ranch is near Sherman, the highest point
on the Union Pacific railway aud a locality
renowned for the frequent occurrence of
remarkable phenomena of nature, reports
a most startling and almost incredible
event which transpired near his place
yesterday morning and which caused the
death of his 5-year old daughter, Mar
garet.
The child, though of slight build and
not of vigorous constitution has. since
learning to walk, been permitted to roam
among the hills at pleasure. Being de-
MED the pleasures incident to association
with children of her W age. little
Margaret early developed an aversion to
companions of any sort, prefering the SOL
itude of the ~frowning hills and secluded
CANYONS, ~ravines and hooks to the sur
roundings of a peaceful and quiet home.
Several times Mr.. Lynch and his esti-
mable wife have become seriously alarmed
over the eccentric actions of the child,
and more than once have contemplated
placing her in a private school, but Mrs
Lynch would never consent to a separa-
ton, and the strange child has continued
to live in the midst of surroundings cal
culated to make an independent and fear
less woman of the timid and retiring
girl.
Three times has the child been lost.
Once she wandered forth in a binding
snow storm to save the life of a pet
lamb. Although the brave child's char
liable errand necessitated a journey of
less than fifty yards from the house. she
was exposed to the rigors of a December
blizzard for over three hours, and months
elapsed before she regained her wonted
health and was able once more to walk
several miles every day in search of rare
mountain flowers and lonesome, craggy
retreats.
No later than last March the embryo
woman was fully FIVE miles from home
when the dark snow clouds concealed the
mountain peaks as an enormous curtain.
A heavy snow fall, accompanied by a gale,
followed the obscurers of the earth's
bright sister planet. The worried father
and his employees were ~anxiously. hur-
riedly and desperately clambering over
knolls and rocks in a seemingly hopeless
hunt for the lost wanderer, when they
were attracted to a large tree by her hope
full but feeble cries. Here the child bad
sought shelter, and was comparatively
comfortable, though the summit storm"
would soon have ended the existence of
this innocent, who worshipped the noun
tains, sang simple songs to the hills and
valleys and talked to the rocks.
When the well nigh frantic mother en-
braced the child once more she frequently
vowed hat never again should little Mar
garet be permitted to wander outside the
fence which surrounded the rudely CON
structed home of the Lynch family. The
maternal surveillance was of short dura-
ton, however. Within ten days the
child was again lost and once more found
through her own tact and knowledge of
the topography of the country and nature
of mountain storms.
The almost mariculous incident, the
particulars of which a LEADER represent
alive learned from the trembling lips of a
heart broken father furnishes a new field
for scientific investigation and develops a
new danger to the inhabitants of noun
famous regions.
Yesterday morning at I o'clock little
Margaret, whose spotless soul now mingles
with the pure ones which abide in the
haven of the righteous, was seated at
her favorite point of observation on the
summit of a high peak about two miles
from the ranch and about SIX miles north
Of Sherman station. Observing that an
unusually severe storm was approaching
Mr.. Lynch hastily mounted a pony and
rapidly rode toward the spot where the
child was enjoying a day dream all un-
conscious of her surroundings and the
proximity of the storm. The dense clouds
formed almost instantaneously and shut
out the view of the hill where the daughter
sat, but the father continued toward it
with all possible speed.
When within calling distance of his
daughter he witnessed one of the most
wonderful and awe. inspiring occurrences
which the eye of man ever looked upon.
His child, his beloved Margaret, was
actually carried a score of feet into the air
by the dense cloud which surrounded the
pair. When she fell he turned away, but
o o fastened to her assistance. She was
beyond the point where the minlstrations
Of a physician could avail and the grief
stricken father tenderly bore herlifeless and
manned body to their home. Death was
instantaneous. The remains will be in
TERED near the ranch to-day in a casket
which Mr.. Lynch procured here yes
terday.
But upon two previous occasions has
such a remarkable casualty occurred dur